Dechlorination of Chlorophenols Using Magnesium-Palladium Bimetallic System

94% removal of PCP (10 mg l-1 initial concentration) was achieved by using 3.75 g l-1 Mgo and 25 mg l-1 K2PdCl6 in presence of 175 mM acetic acid in 1h reaction time. Dechlorination of PCP was found to be sequential and phenol was identified as the end product along with accumulation of trace concentrations of tetra and trichlorophenols. Pd/Mgo reaction carried out in the absence of acid revealed that dechlorination of PCP was insignificant and chief mechanism of PCP removal was sorption on to solid surfaces. Thus, it is important to include acid in the system, to serve triple purposes of [1] provision of protons to produce H2, [2] retardation of formation of insoluble oxides and hydroxides that may sorb PCP and its partially dechlorinated products and, [3] reduction of Pd+4 to Pdo, especially while treating small concentrations of PCP.